Burglar-trap



J. A. TATE. BURGLAR TRAP. APPLICATION FILED JULY 29. |919..

Patented Oct. 11,-1921.

2 S [ETS-SHEET 2.

///w..//////////// ///////w/////W/////A V :f II- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSHUA ALEXANDER Tarn. or sr. Lo-UIs, MISSOURI.

BUiaGLAn-TRAP.

Application flied Ju'ly 29,

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSHUA ALEXANDER TATE, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, AState of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Burglar-Trap, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for use in trapping or catching burglars and is especially designed for use in banks and like structures. p

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a curtain which is normally housed. at a point in a banking room or the like where it will not be conspicuous or in the way and which, when proper operating mechanism is released by a person behind the counter, will advance towardthe coun'- ter, catching and holding the persons or person in the path thereof. l

Another object is to provide apparatus of this character which is simple in construction, can be installed readily, and is easily released and operated.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that various changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings Figure 1 is a verical longitudinal section through the apparatus in position within a room the section being taken on line 1.-1 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section.

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference, R designates a banking room or the like provided with a door D at one end and a counter C at the other end. Guide rails 1 are secured at` one end to the wall containing the door D and, at their other end, to suitable supports above the counter C, these rails being arranged preferably close to the ceiling of the room. A partition l? preferably arranged above the Specification of Letters-Patenti Patented Oct, 11,k 71921.

1919. serial No. 314,093.

front of the counter and secured to the back of the upper portion thereof and midway between the rails, is a guide sheave 2. Additional guideV sheaves are secured to the back of the partition at oneside thereof, as shown at 3.

lVIovably mounted on the` rails 1 are the end portions of a rod 4 and secured to this rod and extending from one rail to the other is a curtain .which can be made of any suitable heavy fabric which can, if desired, be reinforced with a metal fabric. A rod 6 is secured inthe other end of the curtainso as to stiifen said end. A supporting cable 7 is mounted on the sheaves 2 and 3 and is secured at one end to the wall of the room R between the rails 1 and held in position by a plug 7 removably mounted in tlie wall or other support. 4The other end ofthe' cable is held in thejmannerhereinafter describedl Extending from the partition P near the rails 1 are supporting fingers 8 on which are mounted cables 9 secured at one end to the ends of the rod 6. These cables are eX- tended through the bottom portion vof the counter to guide sheaves 10. Additional cables 11 are secured at one end to the ends of the rod 11 and extend through the upper portion of the partition and thence into engagement with guide sheaves 12.

An opening 13 is formed in the floor back of the counter C and arranged above this opening is a gripping device including a fixed jaw 14 and a movable jaw 15, the latter jaw having an arm 16 extending the-refrom. The jaws 14 and 15 normally engage and hold a staple 17 or the like extending from the upper end of a weight 18 so as to suspend the weight within the opening 13. The diderent cables 7, 9 and 11 are attached to a link 17 engaging the staple 17 and the cable 7 is held taut thereby so as to support the curtain in elevated position. A treadle 19 is located back of the counter where it can be conveniently depressed by a person located at that point. A cable 20 connects the treadle with the arm 16 and is mounted on suitable guide sheaves 20.

Under normal conditions the parts are al1 set as described. In the event of an emergency the teller or other person back of the counter depresses the treadle. This immediately releases the weight from the jaws 14.- and 15 with the result that said weight will drop into the opening 13 and pull on all of the cables simultaneously. The force of the pull will be sufficient either to break the cable 7 or to pullits fastening out of the wall to which it is secured. As soon as the curtain is relieved of this support the endY thereof containing the rod 6 will drop to the Hoor, pulling the cables 9 off of their fingers 8. The resultant slack in the cables 9 allows the curtain to drop as described but the descending weight pulls on the cables 9 and 11 and causes the hanging curtain to move rapidly toward the counter and partition, sweeping all before it so that any person or persons caught in the path thereof will be caged between the partition and the curtain and securely held.

It is to be understood that the apparatus can be changed to adapt it to different arrangements of rooms. Also the means for holding and releasing the weight can be varied. These changes, however, are all within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is 1. The combination with a partition or the like, of a curtain supported in a substantially horizontal position therebeyond, means for supporting the curtain, a weight, means for supporting the weight, means for releasing the weight to pull the'supporting means from under the curtain, and means operated by the released weight for pulling the curtain, while in a hanging position, toward the partition.

2. The combination with al partition or the like, of guide rails, a curtain movably mounted at one end on the rails, a normally` suspended weight, means connected thereto for supporting the curtain in a substantially horizontal position, means under the control of a person back of the partition for releasing the weight to remove the supporting means from under the curtain to allow the Curtain to swing downwardly to a hanging position, and means operated by the released weight and connected to the upper and lower corners of the released curtain, for drawing the curtain toward the partition. i

3. A device of the class described ineluding a curtain, a support for the curtain, a weight normally supported, means to release the y weight and means operated by the weight, when released, for lowering the curtain and moving it bodily in one direction.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOSHUA ALEXANDERV TATE.

Witnesses:

GLADYSV EIoHoR, BEN J. HUTH. 

